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Throwback Thursday

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for stating, “some of the most profane, manipulative and backstabbing people I’ve worked with have been women. Men tend to get physical and just hit you,” during a staff meeting and slamming his hand against the table in anger during another staff meeting. Goettemann, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for failing to disclose the contents of an ex parte communication from court security that caused her to alter how she dealt with a case and failing to disqualify herself from the case. Segal, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for displaying an improper demeanor during a hearing in an injunction against harassment case. King, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 21, 2013).

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for (1) taking a woman for a motorcycle ride when the woman had appeared before him as a criminal defendant multiple times, was on intensive probation due to felony convictions, and should not have been in the county where they were riding based on the terms of her probation and (2) being profane and disrespectful with law enforcement and emergency response personnel at the scene of an accident they had on the ride. Gunnels, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).

The Illinois Courts Commission suspended a judge for 60 days without pay for using his work computer to access pornographic web-sites during work hours in his chambers. In re Polito, Order (Illinois Courts Commission February 1, 2013).

The Mississippi Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for an ex parte communication with a man who had received 5 tickets and his brother and dismissing the tickets under the pretense that the prosecutor and officers were not in court when the case was called. Commission on Judicial Performance v. Carter, 107 So. 3d 964 (Mississippi 2013).

Based on the judge’s agreement, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for issuing an order altering child custody without following the proper procedure or making sufficient findings and for having an ex parte telephone conversation with the child’s grandfather. Letter to Baliles (Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct February 13, 2013).